This invention relates to a friction aircraft braking system and more particularly to a new and improved automatic brake adjuster for use in multiple actuator for an aircraft wheel and brake assembly.
During the braking of an aircraft, a plurality of alternately splined stator and rotor discs are brought into sliding frictional engagement with each other to define a brake stack which generates considerable heat within the braking elements and the supporting structure. The stator and rotor discs, which can be made of metal or carbon, can withstand the high heat build-up in such brakes, however, in the case of the brake actuating mechanism and the associated brake adjuster, which are much more heat sensitive, it is important to minimize their direct contact with the brake stack except for the time that actuation occurs. In this regard it is important to provide within the brake adjuster a mechanism to insure retraction of the brake actuating mechanism after each release regardless of the compensations that occur after the repeated brake applications.
The present invention recognizes the need to enhance performance under repeated application and use of the aircraft brake adjuster/retractor components because wear and degration occurs within the components. Most brake adjuster/retractor mechanisms use helical coil springs to retract the actuation system, introducing high loads which inherently produce a high side load component. This side load ,is normally reacted by other components in the adjuster assembly and can cause wear on the dynamic surfaces which can degrade the surface conditions of the components and in some cases cause a premature brake removal from service. The present invention provides a new and improved aircraft brake adjuster/retractor mechanism by providing spaced reaction surfaces to minimize the effect of side loading.